Wire-tying



J. s1 McCHESNEY.

WIRE TYING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, IQIT. I 1 ,360,237, Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. S. McCHESNEY.

WIRE TYING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.26, 19x7.

1 60,237 I Patented NW. 23,, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fizz 72655. 't k t 0 0 e mm C. a; 2/ iggmfzi 6254/! W W J. s. McCHESNEY.

WIRE TYING.

APPLICAHON FILED JAN. 26. 1917.

23, 1920. s SHEETS-SHEET a.

Patented N 0v.

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OHN SHERMAN MoCI-IESNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-TYING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N V. 23, 1920.

Application filed January 26, 1917. Serial 1T0. 144,604.

- To all whom it may concern:

able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the wire-tying of articles and the formation of endless wire loops, its general objects including the pro- .ducing of an endless wire loop quickly and elfectivelyand without any waste of wire. In one aspect, my invention relates to the production of wire loops or bands from a supply of the wire or the like without overlapping, intertwisting or otherwise doubling up on the amount of wire needed for any portion of the loop, and without producing objectionable projections on the loop. In another aspect, my invention relates to the production of wire loops embracing a given object or objects with a predetermined ten sion, and to the obtaining of this given tension without waste of wire even when different portions of the wire stock stretch irregularly and even if the several objects compress irregularly under the embrace of l the wire loops, In still another aspect, my invention relates to the economical and effective use of electric welding apparatus for adjoining the ends of wire loops, and more particularly for usin such apparatus upon the object or'objects loops formed aroun to be embraced by the same.

Heretofore, boxes or other gbjects have commonly been banded with wire by wrapping a previousl out. piece of wire around; the object and t en intertwisting the ends This method n,ot'only leavesof the wire. an unsi htly and objectionable projecting wire twist, but usually wastes wire (since neither the stretching of each particular piece of wire nor the compression of the obj ect embraced by the same canbe predicted),

often damages the wire by an undue strain upon the same. during the twlsting, and

lacks uniformity in the tightness with whiph I n m copending applications filed lflov. '13 y 6, 1917 as Serial Nosj {of wire and tightening the loop around the closed means for overcominga part o'ftheseobjections by, controlling the tensionon the the various bands encircle? the objects.

1916 and January 130941 and 140883 respectively, l-havedisaround the given. ob'ect. (2) By grippingt eloop at some wire so as to secure a uniformity of embracing pressure on the encircled object,-

thereby compensating for irregularities in the stretching of the wire. However, the

method thus disclosed still requires a considerable overlapping of wire for the production of the twist or twists, and also re qu res the wasting of a small amount of wire which is cut oif just before the twisting is completed. My present application aims to my invention will appear from the following specification "and from the accompanying drawings, in which drawings Figure 1 me plan view of an apparatus suitable-for carrying out the method of my invention. 5 Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse vertical sections, taken respectively along the lines 2--2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a package tied by the method of my invention, showing in dotted lines the initial position of the supply end of the wire. 7

Fig; 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the method of weldlng the wire loop ends after the wire has been cut-to length.

Fig. 6 is an; enlarged View of the finished Generally speaking, I accomplish the pur-' pose 'of'my invention by these steps:

- (1 gripping the free end of a coil orreel'o wlreiand'lo'oping. the adjacent wire distance from ,the other end ofthe needed'am'ount object to a predetermined tension.

'by the spring jaws 17.

named end and severing the requisite length of wire for the loop from the coil or reel.

(4) By bringing the loop ends into contact and preferably into alinement longitudinally of the wire.

(5) By uniting the loop ends to each other. preferably by electrically welding the same.

Illustrative of my method. Fig. shows a hand-operated apparatus for me with the same, including a table 1 carrving a trans verse slide 2. which slide 1s connected through a link 3 with a lever e. The table 1 also carries another slide 5 arranged to be moved longitudinally of the table bv cams 6 operated by a lever T. and a third slide 8 carrying opposed spring-actuated iaws and adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally of the table by a lever 10. In starting the wire banding of an obiect adapted to be suitably supported above the aforesaid parts by pillars 11. I first grip the free end 12 or the supply of wire in the 'aws i3 (which jaws may be relatively moved bv means or a cam 14). the end being placed with its extreme tip abutting against a stop l5 car ried by the transverse slide 2. I then form the wire into an approximatelv vertical loop as shown in Fig. 8. slipping the supply portion of the wire between aws .6 also carried by the slide 2), spring-pressed opposed jaws 17-earried by the table. and the said jaws 9 on the reciprocable slide 5. Next I insert the desired object =shown 1n dotted lines'in Fig. 9) within the loop and oscillate the lever 10 about its pivot. therebv reciprocating the thrust-bar i8 which is connected to the wire-tensioning slide 8 through a. compression spring 19. Each movement of the lever 10 in the direction or the arrow tightens the loop by drawing the supply portion 20 of the wire toward the IlQht. a retracting of the wire 11111112 the return movement of the lever 10 being prevented Thus the loop is gradually tensioned by progressive steps about the said object until the tension of the wire effectively equals the resistance or the spring 19, after which anv further movement of the lever 10 in the direction of the arrow will only compress this SDIULQ without moving the slide 8.

This leaves the wire looped about the object as shown in Fig. 9. with the supply por tion of the wire disposed out or alinement with the free end of the wire. I then move the lever 4 toward the left. therebv moving the slide 2 and (through the intermediar of the spring 21) forcing the aws l6 (which at first were separated to allow the wire to be freely inserted between them to grip the wire, and then severing the wire or the loop approximately in transverse alinement with the original tip 12 of the wire ov a cutter 22 on the slide 2. While the wire is being cut, the jaws 16 (being also moved with the slide ll move the wire portion 23 transrselv. therebv wringing the freshly cut nd or the wire :nto alineinent with the nitial tip or the wire. any further move- Lent or the iaws lb being prevented by their ngagement with stops 24 on the table. This eaves the wire loop severed from the sup- )1}! or w1re.,with all portions of the loop disvosed substantiallv 111 a common plane and ith the two ends or the loop disposed close .0 each other ind 1n alinement with each ltllel as shown in Figs. 5 and T. I then nove a :ombanion handle which first moves the iaws -3 tlllOIlll'll the slide 5 and he cams b. so as to abut the tips of the wire oop nrmlv against each other. then complete he welding circuit through the contacts 26 .nd :7 to the respective clamps l3 and 1G LS shown ;n his. a the circuit connections ind insulating elements having been omitted rom the llHWlllQS to prevent confusion) L11(1 thereaIter move the clamp l3 and the lll lnal tip or the wire toward the other 1D dIlIlIlL the welding operation. the dura- 'ion )I vhich \DGlilElOll is automatically ontrolled )V i .lIIllIlL' circuit-breaker 30 Fig. .5). This iinal movement of the origiial ire tip presses the wire ends tightly ogether while sortened bv the heating and om ensates tor the extra stock required to form the usual bur. as shown in Fig. 6. As oon as the weld ;s completed. the wirerripping aws are released by means of the -am-handles J8 and 29. thereby permitting he sanded obiect to be removed from the .DDllanCe. Then the contact between the *IBIHQHES 26 and 27 is interrupted by moving he handle .55 to the right (in doing which he cams a engage books 31 on the slide 5 :0 as to return the latter to its starting poition). the circuit-breaker 30 is reset. and he end of supply wire is snapped out of he grips ll and therebv eompletinh the vale or steps.

s will be obvious ri'om the above that the vire 1s nrst looped about the object with he proposed terminals of the loop out of nnement with each other. as in Fig. 8. and hat the tensioning or the wire prior to cut- ".ng the latter brings the upper loop portion lllZOIlEfll in Fig. H and the two vertical OlElOllS into a -omm0n plane with the tip "1(1 or he wire vhich is gripped by the lamp -3. Leaving the supply portion of the vire out or alinenient with this plane. Then he movement or the handle t not only cuts he wire .0 the lesired length. but also :WlDQS the treshlv cut end of the loop into he said plane. .is this cutting is done at a :oint IIXQG with respect to the stop l? which lennitelv .ocates the original free end of he wire. and is done after the loop has been "ightened to a predetermined tension. niv nethod iutomaticallv compensates for vanations in the illCLlllU of the wire portions used for differentloops, and in differencesof size or compressibility of the banded ob ject. So also, since the approaching of the jaws 16 and 13 is practically a constant when using current at a given voltage and for-a fixed time interval onwire of a given size, the final added tensioning and the resulting tightness of the banding will likewise be uniform, so that I am able to secure any desired firmness of handing without overstraining the wire and with no waste of wire.

However, while I have pictured and de scribed certain apparatus for employing my method, I do not wish to be limited to the same, nor to the particular details as here disclosed, it being obvious'that the same might be varied in many ways without dearting from the spirit of my invention. *or example, the diagram-of Fig. 5 shows a pair of intermeshed gear sections for operatively connecting the lever 25 with the gripping jaws 13, instead of the link and cam arrangement of Fig. 1.

I claim- I 1. The method of handing an object with wire, consisting in looping the wire, tensioning the loop about an object to a predetermined degree, se'vering excess wire from the loop, and then increasing the tension of the loop and securing the ends thereof.

2, The method of handing an object with wire or the like, which consists in looping the wire around the object, tensioning the loop, to cause the same to grip the object, cutting the wire to the required-length while under tension, increasing the tension of the loop and concurrently uniting the ends of the loop by a butt weldand without shifting the plane of the loop. J

3. In a wire banding machine, means for holding one end of a loop-forming wire, yieldable means for predeterminedly tensioning the loop, and means for increasing the tension of the loo'p'beyond the predetermined tension and joining the ends of, the

4. In the banding of an object with wire along a predetermined plane transverse of the object, the steps of looping the wire around the object with all except the supply portion of the wire in thf said plane,- t ensioning the wire while thus '-1 lisposed,."severing the loop wire while under tension from.) the supply, swinging the freshly' severed end of end of the wire, tensioning the wire, while thus disposed, severing the loop wire from the supply, while maintaining the said tension, swinging the freshly severed end of the loop into the said plane, and thereafter uniting the ends of the wire loop while'increasing the tension on the loop.

6. The method of making-a wire loop, which includes the disposing of the wire for the loop with all except a relatively short portion thereof in a common plane, severing the wire for the loop from the supply, swinging said wire portion into said plane without shifting the plane, and thereafter uniting-the ends of the wire loop.

7. In the making of a wire loop, the steps of gripping wire portions disposed near the ends of the requisite length of wire while the said portions are out of alinement and while the wire is under tension, relatively moving thewire-gripping means to bring the said wire portions into alinement while maintaining the tension thereon, and thereafter butt-welding the ends of the wire to each other while increasing the tensionon the wire.

8. In an appliance for handing an object with a loop of wire, a support for the object,

means for holding wire in loop formation encircling the object and with all except the supply end of the loop disposed in a predetermined plane transversely of the object, means for tensioning the loop about the object without shifting the plane of the said major loop portions, means for severing the loop from the supply of wire while maintaining the said tension and without shifting the plane of the said major loop portions, means for swinging the supply end of the loop into the said plane, and means for thereafter uniting the loop ends while maintaining the tension on the loop.

9. In a wire banding machine, means for.

holding one end of a loop-forming wire, I other means for holding the opposite end of the wire in opposing relation to the first end, movable means supporting one of the aforesaid means whereby the ends of the loop maybe brought together, means for joining the ends of the loop, and means for actuatin the movable means and simultaneously e fecting operation of said joining means.

10. Ina wire bandingmachine, means for holding one end of a loop-forming wire, a, support for said means movable lengthwise of thewire, means forholding the opposite end of the wire while the first end is brought into contact therewith, means for moving the support to bring the ends of the wire together, and electric welding means for "/jfiining the ends of the wire including a cira cuit closing switch closable by and-duringg operation. of saidsupport-moving means.

11. In a wire loop forming. machine, a slide, means thereon for securing one end of a loop-forming wire, a secondslide mov abl'e transversely-of the path of the first slide, means on the second slide for holding the opposite end of the wire, means for severing the second end of the wire from a supply by and during movement of the second slide, and means for moving the slides.

12. In the wire-banding of a rectangularlv sectioned box. disposing wire around the box in loop formation with the wire adjacent to three sides of the box in the same plane with the free end portion or the wire and with the latter portion extending partlv across the fourth side of the 00x and with the supply portion of the wire extending across the said fourth side at an angle to the said plane; tensioning the loop about the box while thus disposed. severing the loop from the supply while maintaining the said tension. swinging the said angularlv disposed part of the loop into the said plane. and then simultaneously increasing the tensioning of the loop and-securing the tips OI the loop to each other.

13. In a wire loop forming machine. i slide, means thereon for securing one end of a loop-forming Wire. a second slide movable'transversely or the oath of the tirst slide, means on the second slide for holding "he opposite end of the wire. means for sev- T1112 the second end of the wire from a sup- .v oy and during movement of the second aide. and means tor moving the slides, and neans operable 0v and during the operation II the h'rst slide to eIfect ioining of the ends it the Wire loop.

i. in the banding of a package with wire. IlClICllIlQ the oacitage loosely with a loop #I VIIQ. gripping the free end of the wire. iisposing all except the supply end of the wire in a Q'IVQH plane transverse of the packige and disposing the said supply end at a slight angle to the said plane. tensioniiig the pop about the pacltage while thus disposed. ripping the supply end of the loop near its other proposed end. severing the loop ire :rom the supply without relaxing the -al(1 tension. swinging the said gripped sup- I end into the said plane. and welding the .oop ends to each other while maintaining "he tension on the loop.

shed at Chicago. January 24th. 1917.

JHN SHERMAN MCCHESNEY. 

